Author: Sara Stanton

Does all this sunshine have you walking (or running) with a spring in your step? With the warmer temperatures and longer days, now is the perfect time to prepare for the big race, whether it’s this spring’s George Washington Parkway Classic or training for the fall’s Marine Corps Marathon and Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon, or one of many local 5k or 10k’s in between. Of course, Alexandria is home to some extraordinary places to run, but some of the most important training isn’t on your feet, it’s at the table. Keep reading for our list of the top 8 restaurants for carb loading before the big race, with tips from local experts.

Been searching for St. Patrick’s Day plans in the D.C. region? Luckily you just found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow—we’ve rounded up some of our favorite Irish-inspired festivities and food specials happening this month in Alexandria to help you go green in a big way:

If you can’t wait to see your favorite characters from PBS’ Mercy Street on-screen again, we’ve got you covered. This fall, some of the cast members and producers of Mercy Street toured Alexandria with us, which you can see in the videos below. With spring right around the corner, now is the perfect time to plan a trip to the city that inspired the series and retrace the steps of the stars of Mercy Street in Alexandria. Keep reading to see what the cast thought about our city! (spoiler alert: they thought it was “extraordinary”)

PBS describes Mercy Street as a Civil War drama that “follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict” in order to show viewers what life was like on the home front during the war. With only ONE episode left in the first season of Mercy Street, today’s blog post will focus on these two nurses and the real women who inspired their characters.

The creators of PBS’ Mercy Street have been dedicated to illuminating the complexities of the Civil War through the characters and showing that everyone, regardless of gender, class, race or geographic alliances, experienced life during the war differently. In this Mercy Street Monday blog post, we’ll be focusing specifically on the empowering stories of African American characters in the series by rounding up our top 4 Mercy Street inspired experiences in Alexandria on the subject.

After watching PBS’ Mercy Street, some of you are asking if that’s really what it was like during the Civil War, particularly in regards to medicine and medical treatments. Keep reading to learn why the answer is an emphatic ‘yes’ and how you can explore more by visiting the sites in Alexandria that inspired the series.

In the premier episode of PBS’ Mercy Street season one, the bulk of the action takes place on the Green family property, including their home, called “the Mansion House,” and their hotel, which was expropriated by Federal troops for use as a Union hospital during the Civil War. The Mansion House Hospital, already transformed from the hotel when the show begins, is where we see Nurse Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Dr. Jed Foster (Josh Radnor) work together treating Union and Confederate soldiers in the first episode.

As Alexandria prepares for the national spotlight, we are bringing you a sneak peek, including a first look at the full premiere, of PBS’ first American drama in nearly a decade—‘Mercy Street’. By now, you’ve probably heard local and national buzz about the medical drama, inspired by true stories of Civil War Alexandria, Virginia. Whether you already have your DVR set to record the PBS premiere this Sunday January 17th, 2016, after Downton Abbey, or are wondering “What is this all about?” this blog post will tell you everything you need to know to get excited for the show. Get an early glimpse of Mercy Street with this 30 second preview from PBS and a link to the FULL first episode available online NOW.

Alexandria is well-known for making history, and 2016 will definitely be one for the record books. The new year brings a new, national PBS drama series based on real events of Civil War Alexandria; a continued waterfront renaissance; and new restaurants and “Brew News” that have foodies and beer-enthusiasts buzzing about Alexandria. Keep reading for all the details about what’s happening in 2016.